Master in Physical Sciences at University of Pavia
Two-year physics master at the University of Pavia whose Biomedical Physics curriculum is taught entirely in English, covering medical imaging, ionising radiation, radiation protection and simulation. Entry needs a physics degree or 60 physics credits, and B2 English.
Master
2 years
Pavia
Multiple
University of Pavia
Physical Sciences is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (class LM-17-R) at the University of Pavia whose Biomedical Physics curriculum is taught entirely in English. Entry needs a physics bachelor's, or at least 60 physics and 15 maths credits with modern physics, plus English at B2 or a 3-credit university English course. Fees follow family income, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
Detailed entry requirements
Pavia's Physical Sciences master asks for a bachelor's of at least three years in physics, or at least 60 credits in physics and 15 in maths with certified modern physics skills, plus English at B2 or a 3-credit university English course and a panel interview unless you are exempt. These rules come from the 2026/27 academic regulations and the 2027/28 application page. Reviewed 8 October 2026. [1]
Degree and credit rule
You need a bachelor's degree of at least three years, or a foreign qualification the university recognises as suitable. [1][2]
- Direct fit: an Italian degree in physical sciences and technologies (class L-30, or the older class 25).
- Other degrees: at least 60 CFU in physics (FIS) or related sectors and at least 15 CFU in mathematics (MAT).
- Modern physics: certified skills are generally required, for example in quantum physics, nuclear and subnuclear physics and the structure of matter.
For degrees from abroad, the application page asks for a bachelor's in physics or a strictly physics-related subject (honours, at least three years), or one the committee judges suitable. It lists these bachelor's degrees as not suitable, and says the list is partial: biomedical engineering, medical imaging, biology, biotechnology, chemistry, physical education, sports science, physical therapy, radiology and science in engineering. [2]
If you fall short of the credits, a panel reviews your record. It can reject the application, set extra credits in specific subjects first, or admit you to the interview. Graduates whose path does not fully match may be enrolled with an individual study plan. [1]
What this means for your transcript
Italian CFU and the credits on a foreign transcript are not the same unit, and the panel looks at your physics and maths content, not just your total. As a guide, based on the rule above:
- Usually a fit: a three-year B.Sc. (Honours) in Physics with quantum mechanics, nuclear physics and solid state or condensed matter courses.
- Check carefully: a B.Sc. with physics as one of several subjects, such as physics, chemistry and maths, or a B.Tech in Engineering Physics. Count your physics credits towards the 60 and check the modern physics content.
- Often short: a B.Sc. in Chemistry, Biology or Biotechnology and a B.Tech in Biomedical Engineering are on the not-suitable list, and a BCA, B.Com, BBA, BA or most other B.Tech branches usually lack the 60 physics credits.
English
You need English at CEFR level B2 or higher, shown with a valid certificate. You are exempt from the certificate if you completed at least 3 CFU of English language coursework in your previous university studies; the application page also accepts the corresponding number of teaching hours. No specific tests or minimum scores are listed. [1][2]
Italian language
The regulations state that non-EU international students need Italian at B2 level. For students with a degree from abroad on the English-taught Biomedical Physics curriculum, the same regulations require a 3 CFU course, Italian Language for Foreign Students, in the study plan, unless they show an Italian certificate at B1 or higher or an Italian school or university qualification. We check how this rule is applied to your file. [1]
Panel review and interview
A panel assesses your personal preparation in an oral interview. It can reject the application or point out gaps to fill before you come back. Italian graduates of class L-30 or class 25 with a final grade of at least 92/110 are exempt. The application page says the committee interviews candidates with a suitable degree on their knowledge of basic physics. [1][2]
Deadlines
For 2027/28, the first call runs from 12 to 18 November 2026 and the second from 12 to 20 January 2027, both open to EU and non-EU applicants. The third call, from 12 to 22 March 2027, opens to non-EU applicants living abroad only if seats remain. Studies start on 14 September 2027. [2][4]
For 2026/27, non-EU applicants admitted in the first three windows had until 25 May 2026 to complete Universitaly pre-enrolment and the visa application. [4]
For 2026/27, the programme also allowed conditional enrolment for students without a bachelor's by 1 October 2026 who had at least 150 CFU and had passed the admission test, provided they graduated by 31 March 2027. [3]
Documents and non-EU steps
The application needs your passport, a transcript showing each exam taken or still to take, with marks and credits or study hours, and your English certificate or proof of the 3-credit course. Documents are accepted in English, French, Italian or Spanish. [2]
After admission, non-EU applicants living abroad complete Universitaly pre-enrolment and apply for a type D study visa. To finalise enrolment, your bachelor's degree must be legalised, apostilled or accompanied by a CIMEA statement of verification. Degrees from countries outside the Lisbon Recognition Convention also need a declaration of value, a CIMEA statement of comparability or a Diploma Supplement. [4]
Sources and verification
Checked by the ApplyAZ admissions team against the university's official documents listed below. Entry rules can change with each new call, and we re-check them before every application.
- University of Pavia, Department of Physics. Academic regulations, Master's programme in Physical Sciences (class LM-17), enrolment cohort 2026/2027. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Pavia, application portal. Master's degree in Physical Sciences, Biomedical Physics curriculum: entry requirements and application calls, academic year 2027/2028. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Pavia, Physical Sciences degree programme pages: Biomedical Physics curriculum, admission requirements and admission test, academic year 2026/2027. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Pavia, Admission Office. How to apply to master's degree programmes, application calendars 2026/27 and 2027/28, and after-admission steps for non-EU students, academic year 2026/2027. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
- University of Pavia. Fees regulation, academic year 2026/2027. Reviewed 8 October 2026.
About the programme
Physical Sciences (Scienze Fisiche) is a two-year master's degree in class LM-17-R at the University of Pavia.
The degree is officially bilingual: since 2022/23 all courses of its Biomedical Physics curriculum have been taught in English, and this is the route open to students who do not speak Italian.
The other curricula are taught mainly in Italian.
The Biomedical Physics curriculum prepares physicists to work with diagnostic and therapeutic technologies based on the interaction between radiation and matter and on innovative materials. It suits physics graduates who want to move towards medical physics, radiation protection or imaging research.
What you will study
Core units (48 ECTS), chosen from set lists, cover the physics of ionising radiation, radiation biophysics, diagnostic techniques, radiation protection, particle detectors and statistical methods, plus computation courses in artificial intelligence and simulation. Units in the study plan include:
- Physics of Medical Imaging
- Physics of Innovative Oncological Therapy Techniques
- Medical Diagnostic Techniques with Ionizing Radiations
- Introduction to Ionizing Radiation Protection
- Radiation Biophysics and Radiobiology (elective)
- MRI Physics for Neuroscience (elective)
- Bioinformatics (elective)
Under the 2026/27 study plan you choose five courses from the experimental and applied physics list, one in theoretical physics, two in microphysics and the structure of matter, two related courses and two free-choice courses. Students with a degree from abroad include a 3 ECTS Italian language course among their free choices unless they can show Italian proficiency, and the thesis and final exam are worth 42 ECTS. [1]
How the programme is taught
Laboratory work covers ionising and non-ionising radiation, with applications and risk analysis.
The curriculum description names three collaborating institutions in Pavia: the IRCCS research hospitals, the CNAO Foundation for hadron therapy and LENA, the Applied Nuclear Energy Laboratory, which has a nuclear research reactor.
Students gain skills in radiation measurement, dosimetry, data simulation and advanced image analysis, including AI methods.
Career paths
According to the curriculum description, graduates can join research and development groups in the private and public sectors, work in health facilities that use ionising and non-ionising radiation for tomography, and contribute to radiation protection. The physics degree also lists these sectors:
- Research management in public or private research centres
- Healthcare
- Energy
- Nanotechnology
- Information technology
- Teaching, after the required training
- PhD programmes in science and technology
Fees and scholarships
Non-EU students choose between two fee routes.
The flat rate depends on citizenship and subject area, with countries like India, Nepal, Nigeria and Pakistan in the lowest bracket. [5]
It stays fixed for the normal length of the degree plus one year.
The income-based route uses an equivalent ISEE calculated from your family's income and assets abroad.
With an ISEE up to €32,000 students are exempt from the all-inclusive fee, so this programme can be tuition-free for eligible students.
You need this route to apply to EDiSU Pavia, the regional right-to-study body, whose scholarship can include a college place, one meal a day and a cash grant. EDiSU decides awards on merit and income.
How to apply from outside the EU
We apply on apply.unipv.eu, choosing up to three degree programmes, with your passport, your bachelor's transcript or degree certificate (in English, French, Spanish or Italian), an English certificate or proof of a university English course of at least 3 ECTS.
Seats for non-EU students who need a visa are limited, so we apply early.
For 2027/28 the first call runs from 12 to 18 November 2026 and the second from 12 to 20 January 2027; the third call, from 12 to 22 March 2027, opens to non-EU applicants abroad only if seats remain. [2]
After admission we complete the Universitaly pre-enrolment (for 2026/27, by 25 May 2026 for the first three calls), and you apply for a type D study visa at the Italian consulate, which decides the visa.
On enrolment your degree must be legalised, apostilled or verified by CIMEA, and degrees from countries outside the Lisbon Recognition Convention also need a declaration of value, a CIMEA statement of comparability or a Diploma Supplement.
How ApplyAZ helps
ApplyAZ is an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities. We can include this programme in a shortlist of 20 to 30 English-taught programmes that fit your profile, so your plan never rests on a single application.
For eligible students who start with us, a named person owns each stage, from A to Z:
- We check your transcript against Pavia's entry rules for this programme.
- We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose.
- We prepare and submit your online application and Universitaly pre-enrolment.
- We help you declare your family income for reduced fees and file your regional DSU scholarship application at the right time and in the right format.
- We prepare your visa file.
With operations in all 20 Italian regions, we follow each region's scholarship rules and deadlines as they change. The university decides admission, the region decides the scholarship and the consulate decides the visa, so no one can promise an outcome. You pay in milestones, and every service you pay for is either delivered or its fee is refunded (terms apply).
Programmes at Italian public universities can be tuition-free for eligible students. Check if you are eligible and book a one-to-one consultation session with one of our Italy experts, or see how ApplyAZ works.
Questions and answers
What bachelor's degree do I need for Pavia's Physical Sciences master?
A bachelor's of at least three years in physics or a strictly physics-related subject, or at least 60 credits in physics and 15 in maths, with certified modern physics such as quantum, nuclear and subnuclear physics and the structure of matter. [1][2]
Is the Master in Physical Sciences taught in English?
Only the Biomedical Physics curriculum is listed as entirely taught in English; the regulations say lectures in the degree are given in Italian or English. Students with a degree from abroad on this curriculum take a 3-credit Italian course unless they are exempt. [1][2]
Is there an entrance exam?
Admission works through a panel review of your credits and an oral interview on your physics preparation, not a written entrance exam. Italian physics graduates with at least 92/110 are exempt from the interview. The panel can also set extra credits before admission. [1][2]
What English level is required? Do I need IELTS?
English at B2 or higher, shown with a valid certificate. If you passed at least 3 credits of English as part of your university studies, that can replace the certificate. No specific tests or scores are listed, so we check which proof your file can use. [1][2]
When is the deadline for non-EU students?
For 2027/28, the first call runs from 12 to 18 November 2026 and the second from 12 to 20 January 2027. The third call, 12 to 22 March 2027, opens to non-EU applicants abroad only if seats remain. [2]
Can I apply before I graduate?
Yes. The application asks for a transcript of exams taken or still to take. For 2026/27, the programme allowed conditional enrolment for students without a bachelor's by 1 October 2026 if they had 150 credits and passed the admission test, graduating by 31 March 2027. [2][3]
I have a B.Sc. in Physics, Chemistry and Maths, or a B.Tech. Can I apply?
A B.Sc. with physics as one of several subjects can fit if it reaches 60 physics credits, 15 maths credits and modern physics. Chemistry and biomedical engineering degrees are listed as not suitable, and most B.Tech branches fall short on physics. We check your transcript credit by credit. [1][2]
How do fees work for non-EU students?
Non-EU students choose a flat rate by citizenship, with India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in the lowest bracket, or an income-based fee. With an equivalent ISEE up to €32,000 the all-inclusive fee is zero, so this programme can be tuition-free for eligible students. [5]
Can someone handle my whole application to Physical Sciences at Pavia?
Yes. ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, checks your transcript against Pavia's rules for this programme, handles the application and Universitaly pre-enrolment, helps you file the regional DSU scholarship application at the right time and in the right format, and prepares your visa file, for eligible students. Start by checking your eligibility.
I'm applying from India. What is the route into Physical Sciences?
A recognised three-year Indian B.Sc. (Honours) in Physics matches the degree rule, and other degrees need at least 60 physics and 15 maths credits with modern physics. You also need English at B2 or a 3-credit university English course, and a panel interview. The steps are the online application, admission and Universitaly pre-enrolment. [1][2] Indian students apply for the type D study visa at the Italian embassy or consulate that covers their state, such as New Delhi, Mumbai or Bengaluru.
Is the route different from Pakistan, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka?
No. The academic rules for Physical Sciences are the same whatever your nationality. Applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka follow the same steps as India: online application, panel interview, admission letter and Universitaly pre-enrolment, then a type D study visa from the Italian mission for their country of residence. Read our guide for students in Dhaka.
I live in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman or Bahrain. Where do I apply for the visa?
At the Italian embassy or consulate responsible for the country where you legally live, after Universitaly pre-enrolment. The academic rules for Physical Sciences are the same whatever your nationality, and Gulf residents follow the same steps: online application, panel interview, admission letter and Universitaly pre-enrolment. Read our guides for Dubai, Riyadh and Doha.
I studied or live in London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Singapore or Kuala Lumpur. What is the route?
The academic rules for Physical Sciences are the same whatever your nationality, and your degree is assessed like any other foreign qualification. Non-EU applicants who live abroad follow the same route: online application, panel interview, admission letter and Universitaly pre-enrolment, then a type D study visa from the Italian mission for where they live. Read our guides for students in London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
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